Protective Instincts
by Celeste Belle
Summary: Meeting Kitty changed some of Kurt's instincts. Good thing he has always trusted those instincts. Short one-shot. Friendship, pre-relationship.


Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men.

A/N: If you check out my Kurt/Kitty fics, or even some of the ones I have on my favorites list, you'll notice that I really like "Protective/Instinct Kurt." So, here is another Kurt/Kitty one-shot. This wasn't really what I had in mind when I started writing this, so there may be another fic following soon.

Protective Instincts

Kurt was a mutant of instinct. His appearance reminded people of a demon, and for a long time he'd thought of himself that way. Since joining the X-men, he had begun to see himself in a more human light. That didn't erase his instincts. In Germany, they'd helped him to survive, and with the X-men, they helped him to protect. Though it was often a subconscious decision, he listened to his instincts. They told him who was an enemy, and who was a friend. The latter was new to Kurt. Before the X-men had found him, he'd never had a friend.

From the moment he'd met Kitty, Kurt had loved her. She had been afraid of him at first, but he had worked hard to just give her space and be himself. Finally, he'd felt like he could fit in with the X-men, and relaxed. Over time, she'd come to accept him, and he could proudly proclaim that she was his best friend.

With this new territory came new instincts. He would give his life to protect any civilian; that was his job. He would give his life to protect any of the X-men; they were his family. But he would take any life to protect Kitty. When the thought first came to him, he was terrified of himself, in a way he hadn't been in a long time. His instincts made him something other than human. But the reminder that taking a life would make Kitty unhappy curbed the instinct. She had been trained to fight, and she was strong. She did not need him to interfere. He could focus on his own battles.

Until Lance. While she dated Lance, Kurt's instincts were always in overdrive. Was she all right? Why had she stayed out so late? Where had he taken her? Could he be trusted? The answer to this last question was always "No." Kurt knew Lance couldn't be trusted. His instincts told him so. Lance fought with the Brotherhood, and no matter how much he liked Kitty, he would never change sides. So, Kurt watched Kitty carefully. When she came home from a date, he carefully checked her scent, and scanned her for damage. He could see that being with someone from the other side was taking a toll, but she was strong, and though his instincts told him to destroy whatever made her unhappy, he waited.

Amanda appealed to the part of him that did not run on instinct. She was not a threat to him. She was not a threat to Kitty. She gave him something else to focus on. But then it was over, and Kurt wasn't interested in finding any more distractions. His instincts told him to focus on Kitty, and to wait. The time to fight for her would be soon.

So, he observed her carefully from the proximity afforded a best friend, and waited. He could see her relationship with Lance was straining. He wanted her to be happy. He didn't want her heart broken. But his instincts told him there could be no other course for her relationship with Lance.

Sometimes, he hated his instincts. As he stood outside Kitty's room with Rogue, listening to her tears, understanding why she had refused to let them in, wishing he could just teleport in and hold her, he wanted to break something. Kurt was normally very mild mannered. He didn't enjoy violence of any kind, but this time, he would be willing to make an exception.

He paced the hall, and his tail twitched in agitation. Rogue sighed again. Students passed quickly down the hall, unwilling to linger in the gloomy atmosphere. Finally, Kitty's sobs slowed and stopped. Kurt stopped pacing, and his ear twitched as he listened to her wash her face in the bathroom. Finally, the door opened.

Rogue scrambled to her feet. Kurt stayed where he was, and allowed his sister to enter the room first. Though it almost killed him to do so, he paused in the doorway, and let Rogue talk to Kitty, take care of Kitty, because that's what his liebchen needed.

After spilling the story to Rogue of how Lance had refused to join the X-Men, even though he knew the Brotherhood was planning something bad, how he'd gotten so angry his powers had gotten out of control, how if she'd had different powers she'd be a pancake right now, and how this was the last straw and they were broken up for good, Kitty finally looked up from her lap. Her eyes met Kurt's before skittering away. Rogue placed a gloved hand on Kitty's shoulder.

Kurt pushed off from the door frame carefully, and moved slowly across the room. Crouching before her, he took her hands in his. "Keety, I vant you to listen to me very carefully." He waited until he had her full attention again. "Any man who vill not fight for you, vill not gif up personal agendas, who vill choose to fight on ze side of chaos instead of making sure zat you are safe, does not deserve you."

Kitty's eyes welled with tears again, but she nodded. "I know. I knew he wasn't…" She sniffled. "…wasn't like the right one for me, but it was like so…"

"Thrilling?" Rogue's suggestion was met with a small smile.

"Yeah. But when he was nice, it was nice. He like…has potential, but…"

"He is not villing to grasp zat potential, Katzchen," Kurt stated.

Kitty's head drooped again. "I know."

Rogue's eyebrows drew together in a mild frown when Kurt moved his hands to cup Kitty's face. She blinked at him. He paused for a moment, as though weighing his words, before simply offering a smile. His fangs poked out from behind his lips, and Kitty's mouth twitched. Kurt leaned in, hugging Kitty close for a moment.

"You'll be all right, Keety."

Kitty's arms circled his waist, and she nuzzled into his embrace briefly before letting go. As she pulled back, his tail flicked back and forth and his ears twitched. Kitty smiled.

"I know." She took a deep breath. "It'll just take time."

Kurt nodded. He wanted to stay longer, hold her close, and give her comfort, but his instincts told him it was time to leave. After a final brush of his furred hand against her cheek, he teleported to the kitchen where the students were gathering for supper. He could hear Kitty and Rogue walking down the stairs and chatting softly.

As Kurt sat next to Kitty at the table, he was relieved. When she'd come home yesterday after the breakup, she hadn't wanted to talk to anyone, or eat with anyone. She hadn't even let Rogue into their room until just a few minutes ago. Kurt had spent the night in the hallway, too anxious to sleep. Now, he was glad he'd been persistent. Though Kitty wasn't smiling like she used to, her mouth would quirk occasionally. Kurt considered that progress.

He knew it would take time, but he could wait. Kitty's heart would heal. Kurt would be there to help her as her friend, and when she was ready for him to be more, he would be there. As she met his eyes and smiled, he returned it with his brightest smile. His instincts told him he wouldn't have to wait long.


End file.
